My experience with the MEN220

[TWiiii]

A few wears back while visiting Audio Classics I had Frank Gow set up a pair of IK with a MC602, Men 220, a C2300 and a MCD 500. I tried the Men in the Focus mode but didn't hear that much difference at first. I had Frank get out his RTA and took a look. Nothing happened above 1000 hz. I was disappointed because the 1K are a little ragged on the top end above 4Khz. Below 250 hz there was a little addition and a little subtraction and below 100 hz the largest change was about 4 to 6 db on two bands. The bass cleared up a bit and the area between C below middle C and f above middle C really improved becoming more tube like in sound. Like my system at home using parametric filters getting everything as smooth as possible really means your treble, bass and loudness controls work as never before and the amount needed to be used to correct a recording is much less than before and much more satisfying. I didn't buy a Mem 220's as I would need 4 of them and they really didn't help above 4khz. I'll stick with my Urei crossovers and Eq's for now!

[o0OBillO0o]

You may be a good candidate for a 8 channel DAC and DIRC or RoomEQ Wizard.

Use the software to do the dividing networks, EQ and Room correction all before it leaves the DAC.

That said, you could use the MEN220 only for it's RoomPerfect, and leave it's EQ and Crossover functions to the the gear further down the chain.

[kevzep]

Originally Posted by TWiiii

A few wears back while visiting Audio Classics I had Frank Gow set up a pair of IK with a MC602, Men 220, a C2300 and a MCD 500. I tried the Men in the Focus mode but didn't hear that much difference at first. I had Frank get out his RTA and took a look. Nothing happened above 1000 hz. I was disappointed because the 1K are a little ragged on the top end above 4Khz. Below 250 hz there was a little addition and a little subtraction and below 100 hz the largest change was about 4 to 6 db on two bands. The bass cleared up a bit and the area between C below middle C and f above middle C really improved becoming more tube like in sound. Like my system at home using parametric filters getting everything as smooth as possible really means your treble, bass and loudness controls work as never before and the amount needed to be used to correct a recording is much less than before and much more satisfying. I didn't buy a Mem 220's as I would need 4 of them and they really didn't help above 4khz. I'll stick with my Urei crossovers and Eq's for now!

I have looked at what happens in Room perfect with my transfer function on my analysis software, I posted it all in a post on here somewhere.
You can't really see exactly what it is doing with an RTA, you need to look at the MEN output verses MEN input, which is what the transfer function does.
Room perfect samples a room response in the positions you place the mic, now this part of the operation is absolutely critical, because you need Room Perfect to gather as much response as possible so it can gain enough room knowledge to average the 6 or so room samples taken.
It does not change the "character" of your speakers, it simply averages out the room samples and applies EQ.

The difference between Focus and Global is the amount of EQ applied. There is more in Focus than in global.
I use Global almost exclusively, I find that Focus is applying too much EQ and my system sounds a bit "synthetic" in focus.

If you don't like what Room Perfect does, then you can just use the Parametric EQ and make your own curve.

Personally I have found I need to turn my subs down about 9db when I do Room Perfect because otherwise it applies horrendous amounts of EQ in the bass area and takes all the body away from my system.
So Room Perfect with subs at -9db, this makes the response of my system flat like a ruler, then let room perfect do its thing, after that I turn my subs back up.....
So in global I have 9% room correction, and in Focus its 12% room correction.
My room is actually pretty good and my speakers are also very flat (neutral) the room doesn't need a lot of EQ'ing and neither does the system, the 9% sounds really good, its just enough to clean and tighten things up nicely.

The MEN220 is a powerful tool and can just as easily make your system sound like ass as much as it can bring out the best in your system.....

[BowiePop]

I used Dirac Audio processor before, but today i prefer passive correction for medium and treble. I only use active correction for Bass frequencies (My Santorin 30 Cabasse afford it) and i get this at my sweet spot :



A correction to much linear may lifeless the music, don't you think?

[kevzep]

Originally Posted by BowiePop

I used Dirac Audio processor before, but today i prefer passive correction for medium and treble. I only use active correction for Bass frequencies (My Santorin 30 Cabasse afford it) and i get this at my sweet spot :

A correction to much linear may lifeless the music, don't you think?

Really? Is this before the system is tuned?

Whats the big hump around 3K-5K? There a lot ow weird stuff going on in the low mids too, then the bass drops off.....

Intersting....What does it sound like once you have it tuned?

[BowiePop]

Big hump, for just 3 or 4 dB more, i don't find it so much bizarre. But you're right there's probably something to do easily to improve this.

I like sound when there a little more bass and low medle frequencies as you can see behind when i used Dirac Audio :



Today, today i find it's sounds more natural without using Dirac Audio, and using passive correction (except for the Bass, of course).

Eric